Chief Financial Officer
Confidential Appointment | Private Equity-Backed Manufacturing Business
FWB is delighted to be supporting an established Scottish manufacturing business in the appointment of a Chief Financial Officer / Finance Director, following a recent management buyout backed by a leading UK private equity investor.
With a proud heritage, established customer relationships and a strong reputation for quality and service, the business has built a successful position within their industry.
The recent investment marks an exciting new chapter, providing the platform to accelerate growth, strengthen operational performance and build on the foundations of an established and respected business.
Working closely with the Managing Director and investors, the incoming CFO will be a key member of the senior leadership team, helping shape and deliver the next phase of the company's development.
The Opportunity
This is a broad and commercially influential appointment, combining full responsibility for the finance function with a central role in strategic planning, operational improvement and long-term value creation.
The successful candidate will establish the financial insight, controls and reporting disciplines required of a private equity-backed business, while acting as a trusted partner to the Managing Director and wider leadership team.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Strategic & Commercial Leadership: Partner with the Managing Director and leadership team to develop and deliver the business plan, providing financial insight, commercial challenge and support for investment and growth decisions.
- Financial Performance & Reporting: Lead budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial planning, establishing clear KPIs and enhanced visibility of performance for management, the Board and investors.
- Operational & Manufacturing Finance: Work closely with operational colleagues to improve profitability, cost control, product and customer margins, production efficiencies and overall business performance.
- Cash Flow & Working Capital: Take ownership of cash management, stock, working capital and capital expenditure, ensuring financial discipline and effective allocation of resources.
- Financial Control & Governance: Maintain robust financial controls, statutory compliance, audit processes and risk management, developing the reporting and governance standards expected within a private equity environment.
- Systems & Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to enhance financial systems, management information and processes, creating a more efficient, insightful and scalable finance function.
- Leadership & Value Creation: Lead and develop the finance team, support the delivery of the investment strategy and contribute to longer-term value creation alongside the Managing Director and shareholders.
The Candidate
We are seeking a commercially astute, hands-on and ambitious finance leader with the technical capability, operational understanding and personal credibility to operate as a key member of a growing business's leadership team.
The successful candidate will ideally demonstrate:
- A recognised accountancy qualification (CA, ACA, ACCA or CIMA), with a strong foundation in financial control, reporting and commercial finance.
- Experience in a manufacturing, FMCG, multi-site production or similarly operationally intensive environment, with a sound understanding of margins, stock, costing and working capital.
- The ability to translate financial information into clear commercial insight, influencing operational decisions and driving measurable performance improvement.
- Experience of strengthening reporting, systems, processes and financial governance, ideally within an entrepreneurial or evolving business.
- The confidence and communication skills to engage effectively with senior management, Board members, investors and external stakeholders.
- A pragmatic, resilient and collaborative leadership style, equally comfortable shaping strategy and getting close to the operational detail.
Previous experience in a private equity-backed business, or exposure to an investment, transformation or growth journey, would be particularly attractive, although is not essential.
Above all, we are looking for an individual with the ambition, judgement and commercial mindset to make a meaningful contribution beyond the finance function.
Why This Opportunity?
This is an opportunity to join a well-established business at a pivotal point in its development, with the backing of an experienced investment partner and an ambitious leadership team.
The CFO / Finance Director will have genuine influence over business strategy, financial performance and operational improvement, with the scope to shape the finance function and contribute directly to the company's future success.
For an established Finance Director, either full-time or Fractional perhaps, ready to step into a broader leadership position, this represents an attractive opportunity to combine executive responsibility, commercial influence and exposure to a private equity-backed growth journey.
Whilst operating a hybrid working pattern, there will be on-site requirements and further details of this and location will be shared with candidates during discussions with FWB. As an indication, the role will be based near Dundee.
For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact Michael Dickson or James Dickinson at FWB.
